Hops (Humulus lupulus) are grown commercially for use in flavoring beers, stouts and ales. Lupulin glands found inside female hop cones provide the resins and essential oils which are the primary components of the hop flavor each variety imparts to beers, stouts and ales. New hop varieties are evaluated for their growing characteristics, per acre hop cone yields (dried to approximately 8% moisture), the chemical composition of the resins and essential oils contained within the hop cone""s lupulin glands, and the unique flavor each variety imparts to beers, stouts and ales. Only female hop plants produce cones containing lupulin glands, and thus only female hop plants have any commercial value. Male hop plants have no commercial value other than for use in breeding programs to create new varieties.
This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hop and more particularly to an asexually reproduced hop variety selected from among hop plants resulting from a controlled cross pollination between a tetraploid xe2x80x98Nuggetxe2x80x99 female hop plant with an unpatented proprietary male hop plant xe2x80x98833-53Mxe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98Nuggetxe2x80x99 is an unpatented diploid high alpha acids variety released in 1983 from the U.S.D.A. breeding program in Oregon (Haunold et al., 1984, J. Am. Soc. Brewing Chemists 42(2):62-64; Haunold et al., 1984, Crop Science 24(3):618). xe2x80x98Nuggetxe2x80x99 is characterized by mild aroma, a low proportion of cohumulone in the alpha acids with good storage stability of alpha acids. The inventor used colchicine to produce the tetraploid xe2x80x98Nuggetxe2x80x99 which was the female parent used to produce the novel variety of this invention.
Proprietary male hop plant xe2x80x98833-53Mxe2x80x99 originated from a controlled cross pollination in 1982 between unpatented female hop plant U.S.D.A. Accession No. 21055 and unpatented male hop plant U.S.D.A. Acession No. 63015M.
The controlled cross pollination program resulting in the creation of the new hop selection called xe2x80x98H900444-6,xe2x80x99 was performed in 1989 by the inventor in a greenhouse located at Yakima, Wash. xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 was discovered by the inventor in 1991 growing among the hop plants which were produced from the seeds resulting from the controlled cross pollination program described above.
The seeds from the cross between the tetraploid xe2x80x98Nuggetxe2x80x99 female hop plant and proprietary male hop plant xe2x80x98833-53Mxe2x80x99 were planted in a greenhouse in 1990. The most vigorous plants resulting from the cross were selected and planted in 1990 in a hop field located at Toppenish, Wash.
In 1991, as a result of chemical analysis and field observations of the hop plants, the inventor selected the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 hop plant for further evaluations based on its unusually high percentage of alpha-acids, coupled with a reasonable projected per acre cone yield. The per acre cone yield projections were based upon the cone production of the single xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 hop plant observed in 1991. The xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 plant was not asexually reproduced in 1991. In 1992, the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 plant was observed again in the same location and production of alpha-acids was again high.
In 1993, second (2nd) generation rootstock from the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 variety were planted in a four plant test plot located at Toppenish, Wash. and an eight plant test plot in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Data were collected and observations were made on these small test plots during the 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 growing seasons. The data confirmed the unusually high alpha-acids percentage and acceptable yield levels characteristic of xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 was also expanded to two acre trials in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 1996. In 1997, the two acre trial was harvested and the first hexane extraction of the alpha-acids was performed on bales of the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 hop variety. These initial extraction trials were successful because a minimum of 93% of the alpha-acids were extracted from the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 hop cones. A minimum of 93% of alpha-acids is required to be extractable from a new hop variety in order for the new variety to be considered for potential commercial use.
In 1998, second (2nd) and third (3rd) generation rootstock from the xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 variety were planted in a larger test plot of approximately 15 acres (large acreage test plot) at hop farms located at Mabton and Toppenish, Wash. Additional acreage was added in 1999 for brewing trials.
All of the testing and evaluation of the growing characteristics, per acre hop cone yield, analytical data and alpha-acids extraction tests were carried out on hop farms, laboratory facilities, and industrial extraction facilities under the inventor""s direction.
Based upon the field observations performed, and chemical analytical data collected during this testing and evaluation program from 1991 through 1998, it appears that second (2nd) and third (3rd) generation xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 hop plants demonstrate genetic stability with respect to the new variety""s novel characteristic of unusually high alpha-acids yields. Also, the new xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 variety demonstrates genetic stability with respect to the production of commercially viable per acre hop cone yields.
Harvest dates of the variety xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 are medium-late, usually ready to pick approximately one week later than Galena and about the same time as Nugget in the Toppenish area. The compact and ovoid to conic shape cones of this variety are mid to large in size and this aids in the ease of picking and cleaning. Adaptation to mechanical harvesting is very good, the cones detach easily from stems and leaves do not develop in the cones. The cones do not shatter during harvest. xe2x80x98Millennium-44xe2x80x99 is the cultivar name for the hop selection previously designated as xe2x80x98H900444-6xe2x80x99 during the experimental testing of the variety.